Breeding Russian Blue Cat – How to Properly Breed Russian Blue

Breeding Russian Blue Cat

The most beautiful Russian blue cat is the cat that most cat lovers want to have. But, due to the unavailability of a pure breed of Russian blue cat, it is exceedingly rare to find one. So, few of us have and want to breed them with pure genes for pure Russian blue kittens. 

You are wondering about breeding the Russian blue cat within your control and do not know what to do. How to really be successful in breeding the Russian blue cat? And not knowing how to even start with your minimal information. Do not worry about it!

Here I will be writing about the things you should consider before thing about breeding. If you read this article you will get enough detailed information that will help you to breed a Russian blue cat.

Factors You Should Consider Before Breeding Russian Blue Cat

Breeding Russian blue can seem exciting, as certain breeders can sell at an expensive cost. You should keep in mind, that the cost of cat breeding is high and that the process is time-consuming. But here are some of the factors that you must keep in mind.

Age Of The Russian Blue Cat

You should not start breeding your Russian blue cats before your queen is matured enough. If you think of breeding it, then there is more possibility that your cat will not have a chance to grow as it will have to put her energy into feeding her kittens. Therefore, your Russian blue should be about 18 o 24-months-old before you consider breeding.

Learn more about the whole lifespan of the Russian blue cat.

Health Checks

It is a mandatory requirement for you to do a complete health checkup of your Russian blue cat. You should test genetic disorders, diseases, and illnesses. Make sure the Russian Blue Cat is free of ear mites and ringworms. You can learn more about Russian blue cat diseases.

Breeding Guidelines

It would be wise and responsible of you to go through certain legal and other guidelines. In the UK, Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, which is a breeding advisory council that provides a guideline for all breeds of cats.

Therefore, you need to go through all the guidelines such as standard points, registration policy, and breeding policy for the, so make sure you are up to date. 

Imported Cats

Specific rules are being imposed on importing cats for breeding. So, you should be aware of all the guidelines. As per the Governing Council of the cat fancy, importing the cat you should have the form filled for registration that will cost you about $12.

And, all imported breeds must be microchipped and you should have proper paperwork for your cat. If you visit the official site of governing council of the cat fancy, there you will be able to get information about the policy for importing cats.

Pet Insurance

Getting an insurance policy for your cat as well as for the litter of kitten would help you to make sure you have enough capital to cover the cost.

Vaccination And Care

You are also expected to give at least the vaccination for litter. Vaccination is essential for Russian blue kittens for good health. Vaccination can cost a fundamental amount when you consider that your kitten must be taken care of for at least eight weeks.

Which Season Can Be Perfect For Breeding Russian Blue Cat?

We often see that kittens seem to appear more in certain seasons because the cats breed seasonably. Therefore, you must consider the breeding season for the successful breeding of Russian blue cats.

You can plan breeding of Russian blue cat in early February and should have done breeding before late December.

But, if you happen to live in the western hemisphere, march through September will be fine for breeding your Russian blue. And, in the northern hemisphere, early spring season to throughout summer season would be perfect for your Russian blue cat to breed.

Using UV Light To Encourage Breeding In Off-Season

It is not always that you could go with a plan. But, what to do when the feline Russian blue cat seems uninterested inbreeding?

Honestly speaking, this was the case with me as well. I was being suggested by my vet doctor to keep UV lights where my cat spends most of the time. And, even I could not believe how the UV lights worked to bring the heat in Russian blue cat to breed.

Understanding Reproductive Cycle of Russian Blue Cat  

Let us first understand the reproduction cycle of the feline, so that you could have the base knowledge to breed. 

Proestrus 

During the proestrus stage, your feline will prepare for ovulation or mating. Russian Blue Cat will be more affectionate towards males, however, the feline will not be receptive yet.

You would notice that the Russian blue cat will vocalize loudly, rub on the back, roll around, even stick her rump in the air. But the feline will not allow males to be near her. This stage may last about hours to days. 

Estrus

The Estrus stage lasts for a week and time you must take the feline to the male for mating. Henceforth, the feline will be receptive to the male.

You would hear a shortish, plaintive hollow-sounding yowl which is the sound queen makes to call male. The sound might sound like” aah-roo-ugh”

Interestrus

In between estrus, this period occurs when the Russian blue cat does not ovulate due to not being mated as they prefer multiple cycles to intercourse.

Sometimes annoying estrus behaviors may continue and your Russian blue cat will cycle over and over until she is spayed, bred or the days start to shorten again.

Diesterous

In this stage, your cat ovulates and hence enters diestrus. You need to know that her boy is preparing for pregnancy. Hence, the Russian blue cat will remain out of active heat for about a month even if not pregnant.

How Can I Introduce Mating Partner for Russian Blue?

Bringing the new cat home is necessary before any introduction can begin. It may not sound as simple it seems to you. Therefore, you must prepare a sanctuary room where the new cat can spend the first few weeks away from the resident cats.

The shifting from one place to another has already added stress so do not rush in the introduction session.

Here I have highlighted some techniques for introducing new cats to make them feel comfortable.

Techniques To Introduce Partner for Russian Blue

Scent Desensitization

The scent is important to your Russian blue cats’ perception of the world. Speaking about personal experiences. Firstly, I used a clean sock and put it in my hand, then slowly petted the new cat. So, you could also do the same, and while doing it focus on rubbing the cat’s face, cheeks, and chin.

Secondly, I left the room of the new cat and entered the resident cat ‘territory’. As you follow the same as I did place the sock within the cats’ reach rather than directly calling your feline to the scented sock. Just let your Russian blue cat explore the scent by itself.

You can follow the same step for the new cat as well to make it aware of the smell. Make sure you are using a new sock for the new cat. Also, repeat the step once a day for a few days until you find a less aggressive reaction towards the sock.

Visual Desensitization

After both your cats are desensitized to scent, now you can head to the next sense which is vision.  here, you must make sure that you do not allow both cats to engage in direct physical contact. However, you can let them view each other from a distance.

I would suggest you use three baby gates, one on top of the other, to create a gate the size of your door which you can use as an additional door to the new cat’s territory. Also, you can use the screen door as it works too.

Make sure you give your cat a relaxing view of seeing each other. And do not be alarmed when you see aggression, stay calm. Also using treats to make the session more pleasant would help your cat be comfortable.

This way you can have good control over cat behavior and reaction to the cat to each other.

Interactive Playtime And Treats

And finally, when you are successful in the scent and visual desensitization, then you can plan for a more interactive session. Therefore, you can arrange a playful activity with some play stuff to grab a play with. Hence, both the cats will a playful interaction.

Also, add treats where you provide both cats. Henceforth, both your cats will slowly be comfortable with each other.

Equipment You Would Need For Breeding Russian Blue Cat

Nest

The first thing that you need to get ready for your queen close to the delivery date is a nest. You can make something as simple as a cardboard box at the bottom of a cat carrier.

However, I personally like to use pet tents as they are easy to clean breathable for the queen, and accessible while also providing enough privacy. You may also need the following for making a nest.

  • Cotton clothes
  • Plastic
  • Pad
  • Tissue
  • Multiple pairs of medical gloves

I prefer to use latex-free as multiple pairs of medical gloves but this just prevents ant bacteria from spreading to the babies. Hence, you must intervene and help your queen with the umbilical cords.

Anti-Septic

And the next thing you will have to keep is anti-septic to disinfect the umbilical cord. The one I used when I had a kitten is a Russian brand which is also called brilliant green antiseptic.

But you can also use two percentages of iodine or diluted chlorhexidine to disinfect the umbilical cords which I also like to apply using q-tips.

Rectal Thermometer/ Digital

So, the next thing you are going to want to have handy is a rectal thermometer or digital thermometer. Henceforth, you could check the temperature before birth some queen’s temperature may indicate approaching delivery though it can be unreliable.

Petroleum Jelly

You can use petroleum jelly or Vaseline to lubricate the thermometer as well as lubricate the queen’s genitals to aid the queen.

Emergency Contact

And yes, finally, you should be ready with a list of contacts which you can dial in any situation of complication. Contacts of your vet doctor or breeder will do in emergency situations.

Space Your Russian Blue Cat Needs

Russian blue is very shy and timid. Therefore, your feline would prefer very less crowded and less human contact. You need to make sure that the feline is extremely comfortable and take care of all the stuff such as a room where you are thinking of breeding them. So, learn how to make great space for Russian blue.

The room temperature seems quite cold so using UV lights for her encourages her mood. Also, make sure that the nest is well prepared that she can rely on and feel secure about it.

What Sexual Behavior Do Russian Blue Cat Show?

Male Feline Sexual Behavior

If the Russian blue cat is provided with all the proper environment to breed then there is some behavior that you will see. Do not worry about the strange behavior as they are in this phase.

I will help you to understand both male-female phases of behavior.

Sexual Maturation

Like human cats, do also go through certain phases to reach sexual maturation. Here below I will let you know the phases so that when you are breeding you will understand the Russian blue cat behavior.

Puberty 

Testosterone in the Russian blue cat will lead to male feline sexual behavior. However, Leydig cells will remain inactive until your Russian blues are 3 months of age.

Your Russian blue cat will have sufficient testosterone that will lead to the growth of the penile spine by the age of about seven months. By the 5th month, the feline’s testes are mature enough for early spermatogenesis.

But, next 2 month is needed for spermatozoa to be found in your cat seminal tubules.

Though during the period of puberty, it is not common to see your cat mounting or neck grip, some feline male begins mounting pelvic thrust and neck biting.

Reproduction Cycle

Normally male cats are sexually active when the females are naturally non-receptive. Hence, at this point, you can notice that there is a decrease in eagerness to mate. Hence, you can have to make sure that you are planning between the early and mid-spring season.

Longevity

Mature Russian blue cats are likely to show sexual interests beyond their mating capabilities. But also are likely to maintain this desire even through reproduction function mat decrease with age.

You would see the behavior throughout the animal adult life and has been observed in cats 17 years old.

Premating behavior

Territorial Effect

The territory is especially important for Russian blue cats. Therefore, you must allow your male cat to spend enough time in the breeding area. Your cat may take a long month to get familiar with the place, but the insecurity lasts only a few days.

For the best result, a female feline can be brought to the area where males are familiar.

You may also see a Russian blue cat spraying urine on prominent sites, rubbing cheeks as marking the area, and being aware of other males and females.

Intermale Aggression

It is quite seen in males being too territorial during the mating season. Contact between males can cause intermale aggression. Therefore, I would suggest not bringing any other male other than one to the breeding area.

Courtship

The breeding experience and the familiarity with the breeding area are the factor influences on the duration of courtship behavior. During this period, your Russian blue cat lasts about 10 seconds to 5 minutes.

You would see that cat will call with a loud caterwauling for a mating session with the female feline.

Mating Behavior

You can notice the mating phase of the Russian blue cat when they show the following behavior.

Neck Grip

You would see your cat biting on the neck of the female, but it is not neck being rather it is neck grip. Male feline use neck grip techniques during mating sessions so that the female could not move. Hence, this allows males to hold upon the female and continue mating.

Copulation

Mounting is the initiation of the mating copulatory sequence. You will see the Russian blue cat mounting over the female straddling her first with his forelimbs and then with hindlimbs.

Male feline reaches to position his perineal area for successful intromission. As soon as he reaches the proper posture through the dorsoventral movements of the pelvic region, penis becomes erect. And forceful thrust leads to ejaculation.

And once they are done (which lasts for about 1 to 9 minutes) you would see the Russian blue cat dismount and release the neck grip.

Repeated Mating

You will see your Russian blue cat continuing the mating in a different interval of time. After mating the male goes through a postejaculatory refractory period before mounting again. The duration of the latent period varies from 4-15 minutes, increasing after each mating.

Paternal Behavior

Male felines are not much interested in newborn kittens, but there are few that do. If your cat falls in that few then you have a chance to watch them grooming their kittens.

In most cases, cats that are other than domestic are extremely aggressive and could kill the kitten considering as prey. But you do not have to worry about the aggressive behavior of the domestic male cat.

Female Feline Sexual Behavior 

You should be aware of the female Russian blue cat sexual behavior for successfully breeding.

Sexual Maturation

Your female feline also has distinct phases of sexual maturation where she gets ready for mating at about 9-month age. Besides, the presence of tomcat or estrous female, climate, the time of the year are more influential than age alone.

If your Russian blue cat is born early in the season or that are exposed to tomcats, cycling females, or increasing amounts of light show signs of estrus early.

Estrus Cycle

Anestrus

The anestrous female may rebuff and approach the male Russian blue by hissing or striking out. If your female feline accepts the male cat then she would reflex her spine and cover the perineum with her tail.

Also, she would remain passive to the neck grip because it resembles the carrying grip used by the female. However, your female feline would show aggressive behavior to be free from the undesired mounting.

Proestrus

It may seem all sudden for you to see the short proestrus phase which would last between 1 to 3 days. As it is the only phase that occurs in 16.1 % of cats.

During this phase, you would see your Russian blue cat rubbing a lot against objects with her head and neck. Rubbing progresses to rubbing, either gentle or violent, which is associated with purring, rhythmic opening, and closing of the claws.

Also, you would also find both your male and female Russian blue being aggressive than tomcats.

Estrus

As soon as your female Russian blue enters estrus, you could witness a dramatic change in her behavior towards males. During his he would still rub and roll but no longer aggressively refuse males to mount, exhibiting a crouching lordosis instead.

And you would see the beginning of mating with appetitive sexual behavior or courtship. During estrus, you can also gently pet or tap the female’s perineum, flank, or back to arouse the female. Additionally, you will see crouching rubbing rolling and portion of courtship last on between 10 sec to 5 minutes, tending to be shorter with multiple breeding.

Post Mating Behavior

Now you would see the characteristically dramatic post-mating behavior of the female. The male starts to withdraw his penis; hence the female pupils suddenly dilate. You would also hear the copulatory cry immediately after the male withdrawing penis.

And then your Russian Blue Cat will proceed after reaction where the female will start rolling on the floor stretches and lick her vulva. Hence this period will last about 7 minutes.

Ovulation

Normally a cat does not ovulate immediately, it takes about 24 hours after copulation and multiple intercourses. Besides, ovulation is induced by vaginal stimulation from a male penis or by artificial means.

Hence, you would have to use a glass rod to induce several insertions of 10 seconds in duration in 10 minutes apart. You need to do it over a 48-hour period.

Pregnancy (Gestation) And Care Of The Queen

Once the ovulation has been taking place successfully, you will have 60-65 days (about 2 months) of pregnancy period I.e., it is about 9 weeks (about 2 months). Therefore, the heat cycle will stop.

You can get your cat to the vet for diagnosis of pregnancy using abdominal palpation from around three to four weeks of age or by ultrasound. You will see the enlargement and reddening of the teats from three to four weeks of pregnancy.

Russian blue cats will also make some changes in her behavior in the last week of pregnancy. Such as the queen searching for a place to give birth. So, your responsibility is to make sure about all the arrangements for the pregnant Russian Blue cat.

Care For The Queen

Food And Water

The queen will need to eat more, especially in the last three to four weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, you need to make sure you have cat food along with fresh meat to feed her well.

Also, place a bowl of water in the corner of your house to let your Russian blue cat drink water. Hence, the hydrated queen will be having a healthy pregnancy period.

Neutering During Pregnancy

Although, cats are less likely to come again in the heat after they ovulate, yet you can neuter the queen to avoid any complications.

You should better ask your vet for advice and continue the neutering procedure.

A Place To Give Birth

Your queen will start to look for a place where she could deliver her kittens. So, you must arrange a nest for your queen in a quiet and clean place. Also, make sure that the nest is away from the family and other peat at least two weeks before the expected birth date.

How Can You Prepare For Russain Blue Birth?

Your Russian blue cat might want to hide to deliver babies. However, you can prepare a nest, such as a cardboard box or basket lined with blankets or towel and other necessary things i have mentioned below.

  • Absorbent Pads

You need to get absorbent pads to line up the delivery area.

  • Towels

You will need clean towels or paper towels to clean the birthing area and stimulate the kittens.

  • Nesting Box

If you have visited the vet, you would know the number of kittens that your Russian blue cat will deliver. So, get a nesting box large enough for the brood. A standard, 8-pound cat can easily go with the 16 inches by 24 inches box.

  • Heating Pad

Heating pads are another essential way that you can help your Russian blue cat from getting a cold. The kittens can get hurt if they get directly contacted with the heating pad. Therefore, layer the heating pad with a soft towel and cover the box to hold the heat in it.

  • Refuse Bin

You will have a lot of soiled towels after the birth of the kittens, so do not increase the mess you will need a refuse bin. A laundry basket, plastic bag, or extra box would be fine to discard.

  • Dental Floss And Clean Scissors

Sometimes the mother cat does not break away from the umbilical cords. Therefore, you will need to tie it off with dental floss and cut the cord.

Stages Of Birth of Russian Blue Cat (Labor)

Stage One: 33 Hr. Before

The first stage of laboring can last up to 33- 36 hours (about 1 and a half days) and is shorter in queens which have had kittens before. During this, you could following the behavior of your Russian blue cat. 

  • Intermittent contraction occurs on the first day that remains unnoticed.
  • The Russian blue queen will feel restless and you will see her repeatedly visiting her nest.
  • You would see your feline cat scratching and pant around the bed and vomiting in some cases during the late hour of the first stage.
  • However, vaginal discharge is rare. But you may start to see clear or brownish mucus vaginal at the end of the phase.

Stage Two: Contraction Last 24-36 Hour.

The second stage of cat labor is the most exciting and anxious of all. This is the stage when you will see all the kittens delivering.

  • This phase would last for 5-30 minutes for each kitten.
  • You would see a stronger contraction when the fetal membrane appears at the vulva and burst.
  • Active straining begins and you will see the kittens coming out.
  • Once the kitten is out your Russian blue cat will chew the placenta and lick the kitten.

Stage 3: Delivery

  • This phase of giving birth follows immediately after the kittens are born.
  • You need to count the number of placentas to make sure all kittens have delivered successfully.
  • You can see the red-brown vaginal discharge for up to three weeks after birth. A small amount of greenish discharge after the kitten is normal, so do not worry about it. Just use a dry towel to clean the mess.
  • Once the birth is finished the mother Russian blue cat settles and allows the kittens to feed.

Problem That Can Occur During Labor of Russian Blue

Normally most queens can deliver kittens without any human intervention. However, there are some complications that may occur.

Extended Contractions Without Birth

If your Russian blue cat is taking more than 3o min of strong contraction without any sign of delivery. Then take it immediately to the vet without wasting any time if possible.

Retained Placenta

If your feline has not passed all placentas, it could lead to a uterine infection. So, you should count the placenta, which should be equal to the number of kittens.

Kitten Lodged In The Birth Canal

Kittens are born head first. Besides breech birth happens about 40% of the time which is considered normal. You must get help from your vet if you see a kitten lodged in the birth canal for more than 10 minutes.

Still Born Kittens

There is a possibility that your Russian blue cat gives birth to the still-born kittens. So, you can just remove the dead one for a mother to continue her labor.

Postpartum Hemorrhaging

Bleeding after giving birth is quite normal, yet excessive bleeding or hemorrhaging is an emergency. Therefore, you must reach out for veterinarian attention. Besides, bleeding could stop one day and continue other days so you should be careful.

To-Do When Things Go Wrong During Breeding Russian Blue Cat

Although cat does not require humans to intervene you can be alert to help your Russian blue cat.

  • Get your concerns cleared by asking your vet.
  • When the kitten is partially out and the mother is tired, you can use a soft towel or gloves and clean to gently pull them out.
  • If your Russian blue cat does not clean the kitten, you can gently clean the membranes’ soft towel or clothes to encourage the kitten to breathe.
  • If the mother does not separate the cord you can tie it off around 3 cm from the kitten’s body. Now, you can gently tear the two ties with clean hands.
  • Make sure you have placed heating pads in the nest to help both mother and kitten be warm.
  • Finally, you should better take vet help for further security of your Russian blue cat and kittens.

When To Call The Vet?

Sometimes we do not understand the situation and do not know when to call the vet.

Here are a few situations when you should dial your vet.

  • You should contact your vet if the Russian blue cat does not show signs of straining in the first stage.
  • When the straining is lengthening for more than 30 minutes, you should call your vet.
  • When other kittens are not delivered for the next long hours.
  • If you see your Russian blue cat being weak and bleeding excessively, you must call immediately.
  • Partial delivery of kitten or kitten stuck in halfway and you see there is a complication in delivery.

How Can You Care For Russian Blue Kitten?

You can take good care of the Russian blue kittens by feeding them well and health checks up.

Feeding A Newborn Kitten

Newborn kittens should be feed with all the nutrition from their mother cat. The mother milk called colostrum which is rich in antibodies will help your new kitten fight against kittens. So, allow the kitten to consume mother milk. However, in case the mother is not able to lactate they do contact the vet.

And make sure the kittens are getting mother milk every 3-4 hours for at least four weeks of age. If Russian blue kittens are rejected by the mother for any reason, you may have to hand feed them. Moreover, there are also other foods for Russian blue kittens once they start growing.

Hand Rearing Kittens

In case the mother is not able to feed the milk, then you will need to help care for kittens.

  • Make sure there is someone who can attend to the kitten throughout the day and night.
  • You can prepare a bed inside carrying a basket with lots of bedding and soft toys.
  • You should get formula suggested by the vet to feed you a Russian blue kitten every two to 3 hours.
  • Make sure you stimulate the kitten to pass urine and feces for at least three weeks age.
  • Do play with the kitten to socialize with a positive experience.

Veterinary Care

Taking your new kittens for vet care would be a wise step to keep your kitten safe. You should take them for flea and worming treatments after the two kittens are born.

Asking your vet if your kitten does require any kind of vaccination would help you be alert in the future.

Neutering your kitten should be done when the kittens are about four-month-old. However, you can just separate males and females to prevent inbreeding.

FAQs

Can Siblings Russian Blue Cat Mate?

Technically, there is no such taboo among cats for mating with their siblings. Hence, when they reach the age of sexually mature you can see them mating even though they are siblings.

But sibling mating could have some side effects so you had better not choose siblings for breeding.

Is Inbreeding Safe?

If you want your kitten to be fit and strong in terms of health matters, then I would not suggest you inbreed them. Inbreeding could result in very weak kittens having weak immune systems.

Therefore, inbred cats are more likely to suffer from immune deficiency, congenital abnormalities, and other genetic diseases. Hence, they would not be able to fight disease or recover soon as other cats after injury.

How Many Kittens Can A Cat Give Birth Before She Dies?

The average number of litter that a fertile female cat produces is about three in a single year. Therefore, in one year she could produce four to six kittens per litter.

If we see theoretically, one fertile feline could live for 12- 15 years means about 250. Moreover, the single cat family their offspring could produce about 420000 cats in the average life of 12 years. So, you should be wise and careful while breeding and spaying them.

Is It Safe To Touch Newborn Kittens?

Picking up and petting the newborn kitten can be dangerous. Therefore, while holding the newborn Russian blue cat, be very gentle and careful. Dropping and handling the newborn kitten could lead to severe damage to the newborn kittens’ organ.

So, you must be alert when your children are near the newborn kittens.

Conclusion

Breeding a Russian blue cat is not tough when you follow the above details precisely. The breeding requirements such as absorbent pad, towel, scissor, etc., and knowing all the behavior of the Russian blue cat mating behavior would help you.

Moreover, you need to have your vet’s advice and suggestion before you think of breeding the Russian blue cat. You should also make sure that regular health and veterinary checks are done. Besides, all you need to breed your blue cat is to provide them with the environment. Hence the mother queen can have an easy pregnancy and labor.

Also, kitten care is necessary to make your breeding goal fulfilled. Therefore, make sure you have provided a kitten with a warm environment and nutritious food. Hope you will succeed in breeding your Russian blue cat with a cute bunch of kittens.

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